Syrup tank and cover therefor



June 3, 1958 A. F. MOMAHON SYRUP TANK AND COVER THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed July 15, 1954 INVENTOR. 1%

June 3, 1958 A. F. M MAHON SYRUP TANK AND COVER THEREFOR Filed July 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l IIIIII ll "IIIIIIA Imam!!! INVENTOR.

Q/emzzc/erF [VG/7425012 r A 2,837,367 Ice I Patented June 3, 1958 SYRUP TANK AND COVER THEREFOR Alexander F. McMahon, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to The Bastian-Blessing Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application July 15, 1954, Serial No. 443,661

15 Claims. (Cl. 292-259) This invention relates to a container and closure means therefor, and more particularly to a syrup tank and cover structure. The invention is useful in syrup tank structures wherein the tank is pressurized, and the closure or cover must seal the tank to maintain the pressure therein. For example, the tank structure finds use in pressurized beverage dispensing systems such as are found in vending machines, certain soda fountains, etc.

In syrup container structures, the container is provided with a relatively large access opening for ready cleaning and sanitation reasons, and where the container is pressurized it is necessary to seal the access opening by means of a cover which will maintain the pressure within the container and will be safe to handle under all conditions. In structures of this character now employed, the closure members therefor cannot be readily mounted in a sealing position about the access opening except with great care and by personnel having some experience in adjusting and properly positioning the closure members. Therefore, these structures are undesirable for frequently they must be handled by inexperienced personnel with the result that the pressure within the container is not maintained, for the closure member has not been mounted in sealing engagement about the access opening and the cover is dangerous to handle while pressure is still present in the container. This results in a costly loss of the gas from the container and is inconvenient for the loss of the gas may prevent the dispensing of beverages at a time when the demand is greatest and the danger is grave to inexperienced help trying to make a quick change.

Further, it would be desirable to equip syrup tank structures with abail or handle which would provide a ready means for handling and transporting the same. However, closure members for the syrup tanks are not customarily equipped with such handles, and those that have been proposed have proved to be quite unsatisfactory.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to pro vide a container and closure therefor which is useful in receiving fluids under pressure and which will overcome the disadvantages in known structures. Another object of the invention is in the provision of a tank structure having an access opening in a wall thereof, and in which a cover or closure member can be placed about the access opening and is properly seated upon the tank so as to provide automatically a sealing closure about the access opening thereof and a safe self venting cover which is always captive as long as there is pressure in the container. Still another object is to provide a closure member suitable for use in syrup tank structures and in which ready means are provided for adjusting the closure member so' that compensation may be made for wear, and an automatic seal is provided whenever the closure member is seated upon the tank structure.

. A further object is in the provision of a closure member equipped with a bail which, when moved to one predetermined position, will sealingly lock the closure memher upon the syrup tank structure, and which may be moved into a general vertical plane to provide a carrying handle with no danger to the handler if the container is lifted while pressure is still present. Yet a further object is to provide a closure member for syrup tank structures and the like substantially as described above, and which is provided with a cam-equipped bar operative. to engage eyelets provided by a tank structure, a bar having a bail secured thereto and which cooperates with an angular slot provided by the closure member and which permits the bail and the bar that carries the same to be shifted tank structure equipped with a closure member and provided in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view in elevation of the closure member;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the tank structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a broken vertical sectional view partially in elevation of the closure member sealingly seated upon the tank; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

In describing the structtu-e, reference will be made first to Fig. 1 in particular, which shows a tank structure and closure member in a side elevational view. The tank structure is designated with the numeral 10 and may be formed in any suitable manner, and will provide a chamber adapted to receive therein a liquid and a fluid under pressure. It will be apparent that the tank It) will have sufiicient strength to withstand the pressures developed within the tank structure.

As is seen best in Fig. 4, the container or tank 10 is equipped with an upwardly extending annular flange or wall 11 that may be formed integrally with the walls of the tank or which, as is shown in Fig. 4, may be a separatemember rigidly secured to the walls of the tank by welding or other suitable means which will provide a fluidtight seal. Preferably, the upper edge of the wall 11 is equipped with alip 12. The container is also provided with a pair of upwardly extending standards 13 and 14 which may be rigidly secured to the wall 11. The

standards are spaced apart, one on each side of the axis opening 15 which is defined by the annular wall 11. The standards have an inwardly and downwardly turned-end portion 16 which, when secured to the Wall 11, orients the remaining vertical portions of the standards at a spaced distance from the wall 11. Each of the standards is provided with an opening or eye 17 therethrough, as is seen most clearly in Fig. 1.

Generally, the tank 10 is equipped with tail pieces 18 and 19, one of which is used to educt a liquid such as syrup from the container and the other is used in intro- 3 gasket 23. The gasket 23 is preferably resilient and may be formed from rubber or some other comparable material and is adapted to seat upon the lip 12 provided by the wall 11.

The depending central portion 21 of the cover has formed centrally therethrough an aperture 24 that is adapted to receive a rivet type screw 25 which has drive threads upon its shank portion 26 that threadedly receives thereon an externally threaded sleeve or stud 27 applied by a press. Interposed between the sleeve and the cover is a gasket 28. The sleeve 27 is used to rigidly anchor the screw 25 in position upon the cover 20, and the gasket or washer 28 provides a seal about the shank of the stud.

Threadedly mounted upon the upper end portion of the stud 25 is a cylindrical support member 2? which has extending transversely therethrough a bore 3%. The member 29 is also provided with an elongated vertically extending passage therethrough that is externally threaded and threadedly receives therein the threaded locking pin 31. As illustrated, the pin 31 may have a slot equipped head wherein it can be rotated by means of a screwdriver. The locking pin 31 cooperates with the nut 27 which is preferably hexagonal, and when the locking pin is in the position shown in Fig. 4 prevents rotation of the member 29 upon the stud 25. On the other hand, if the pin 31 is threaded outwardly so that the bottom end portion thereof is positioned above the hexagonal nut 2'7, the support member 29 may be rotated freely about the stud 25.

Slidably and rotatably mounted within the bore 38 is a shaft or locking bar 32 which, as is seen best in Fig. 2, is equipped at each end portion with a cam 33. Rigidly secured to the shaft 32 is a bail or handle 34 which has a configuration such that it can be grasped by a persons hand. As shown best in Fig, 3, the bail or handle 34 is adapted to be swung between the position. illustrated in full lines in Fig. 3 and shown also in Fig. 4 to an opposite horizontal position or to any intermediate positions such as an inclined one shown by the broken lines 34a in Fig. 3 for release of the cover, or the vertical position shown in broken lines 34b for carrying the container by the bail.

' The cam end portions 33 of the shaft 32 are eccentric and are adapted to be received within the openings or eyes 17 formed within the standards 13 and 14. In order to permit insertion of the end portions 33 into the eyes 17, axial release movement of the shaft 32 is afforded by means of the angular slot or groove which is provided in one side of the member 29, as is seen best in Figs. 2 and 4. The slot 35 cooperates with the bail 34 when the bail is in longitudinal alignment with the slot 35 as shown in broken lines 3411 and permits the bail to slide thereinto whereby the shaft 32 may be shifted laterally relative to the cover 20' and be released to clear the standard 13 at one end for ultimate removal of the cover.

In use, after washing and sterilizing the tank or container lit, the cover 20 is seated thereon to provide a scaling closure about the access opening 15. This positioning of the cover member 29 upon the annular wall 11 is accomplished by swinging the bail 34 to a position 34s, as shown in Fig. 2, wherein the bail is in axial alignment with the slot 35. In this position, one leg of the bail can be received within the slot and, therefore, the shaft 32 may be shifted axially and into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3'. After this manipulation, one end portion 33 is slipped through the opening 17 provided by one of the standards and, in the illustration shown, is inserted through the opening in the standard 14- For convenience, the cover member 20 may be tilted angularly during this movement. The cover member 20 is then seated upon the wall 11 with the lip 12 thereof engaging,

the gasket or seal member 23. Then the bail 34 and the shaft 32 to which it is secured are moved axially in a '4 direction away from the slot 35 and to the extreme position afiforded by the support member 29. In this position it will be evident from Figs. 1 and 3 that the horizontal eccentric portions 33 of the shaft are each received within one of the eyes 17 in each of the standards 13 and 14. Thereafter, the bail 34 will be swung from the generally vertical position shown by dotted lines 34a in Figs. 2 and 3 to the horizontal position shown by the full lines in Fig. 3 and also in Figs. 1 and 4.

This swinging movement of the handle or bail 34 is;

operative to earn the eccentric portions 33 of the shaft 32 into engagement with the walls of the standards 13 and 14- which define the opening. 17. The entire cover member 20 then is forced downwardly by this engagement of the eccentrics with the walls of the openings 17, and it is found that the seal member 23 and annular lip 12 form a fluidtight seal effective to maintain a considerable pressure within the tank or container 10-.

Either age or use of the gasket or seal member 23 may deteriorate-the same, and it may become worn and may not in conjunction with the lip 12 provide. an adequate seal, and some leakage of the pressure within the container may be experienced. In this event, the degree of engagement of the seal member 23 and lip 12. can be increased to again provide a fluid-tight barrier or seal therebetween, by simply rotating the locking pin 31 to screw it upwardly through the member 29 and to raise the bottom end portion above the hexagonal nut 27. The cover 20 is then rotated to move it downwardly relative to the mounting. member 29. A fraction of a turn or any number of turns of the cover relative to the mounting member may be made as it might be required to provide again the desired seal between the gasket 23 and lip- 12. After this adjustment has been made, the locking pin 31' is screwed downwardly and into locking position as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. p

This adjustment results in raising the eccentric end portions 33 of the shaft 32 within the openings 17 so that when the bail 34 is swung to locking position, the cover 20 is forced downwardly to a greater extent. There is no likelihood of. inadvertently shifting the bail 34-and shaft 32 transversely relative to the member 29, for as is clear from Fig. 3 when the bail is in locking. position the legs thereof are spaced closely to the walls of the member 29 and cannot be shifted relative thereto. On. the other hand, when the bail is swung to the other of its. horizontal positions, the eccentric end portions 33 are released from engagement with the walls of the standard which defines the openings 17', pressure present is-instantly and safely released, and when the bail is. in alignment with the slot 35 it may be shifted for removing. one of the eccentric end portions from its complementary opening 17.

In use of the bail34 as a handle for carrying the tank structure 10, the bail is swung to a generally vertical position where it is easily grasped for gripping or carrying. At such time the cover 20-will be in seating relation upon the wall 11, and there is no danger of release of the cover by inadvertent shifting of the bar 32, for shifting is prevented because the legs of the bail cannot be aligned longitudinally with the slot 35 when thebail is in a vertical position.

It is seen that. the cover member is operative to provide a fluid-tight. seal, about the access opening. of the container 10 Whenever the cover is seated upon the wall 11' and the handle or bail 34 is swung to locking position. Thus, even personnel unfamiliar with the structime can always obtain a proper seating and sealing en,-

gagement of" the cover with the tank and a safe and.

effective release of pressureif the cover is to beremoved. The bail 34 permits the tank structure to be handled with ease, for the bail canbe swung into a vertical posi- 1 While in the foregoing specification, an embodiment for purposes of identification, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in these details without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

I claim:

1. A closure member adapted to sealingly close an opening provided in a tank structure, comprising a cover member adapted to close said opening, a support member secured to said cover member and having a transversely extending bore therethrough, a bar and cam ends thereon slidably and pivotally mounted within said bore and being equipped with a bail, said bail having spaced-apart end portions, one 'on each side of said support member in normally proximate relation thereto, and said support member having a slot in a wall thereof adapted to receive therein one of said end portions of said ball, whereby said bar is permitted to shift laterally when that end portion is aligned for movement into said slot.

2. In a structure of the character described, a container providing a chamber therein and having an opening in a wall thereof, said container being equipped with a pair of spaced-apart standards, one on each side of said opening and each being provided with an eye therethrough, a closure member adapted to sealingly close said opening, said closure member being equipped with a bar having elongate eccentric end portions slidably receivable within said eyes, said eccentric end portions being contoured to afiord axial movement of said bar in said eyes, said bar having a handle secured thereto for rotating the bar between positions wherein said eccentric end portions are selectively moved into and out of locking engagement within said eyes, said closure member being equipped with a support member extending laterally therefrom, said support member having a bore extending transversely therethrough rotatably receiving said bar therein.

3. In a structure of the character described, a container providing a chamber therein and having an opening in a wall thereof, said container being equipped with a pair of spaced-apart standards, one on each side of said opening and each being provided with an eye therethrough, a. closure member adapted to sealingly close said opening, said closure member being equipped with a bar having elongate eccentric end portions slidably receivable within said eyes, said bar having a handle secured thereto for rotating the bar between positions wherein said eccentric end portions are selectively moved into and out of locking engagement within said eyes, said closure member being equipped with a support member extending laterally therefrom, said support member having a bore extending transversely therethrough rotatably receiving said bar therein, said handle being provided with spaced-apart legs, one on each side of said support member, said support member affording transverse movement of said legs in at least one position thereof.

4. In a tank structure adapted for use in the storage of fluids under pressure, a container providing a chamber therein and having an opening in the top wall thereof, said container being equipped with an annular wall about said opening, a closure member adapted to sealingly engage the upper edge portion of said annular wall, a support member secured to said closure member and extending upwardly therefrom and defining an angular groove on one side thereof, a bar pivotally carried by said'support member and having integral eccentric end portions, a handle secured to said bar, a pair of standards fixedly secured to said container extending upwardly from said container adjacent said annular wall and each being provided with an eye therethrough, said eyes being adapted to receive said eccentric end portions therein, said handle being receivable in said groove to aiford releasing movement of said eccentric end portions in said eyes and means for pivoting said bar to move said eccen- 6 tric end portions between lockand release positions within said eyes.

5. In a tank structure adapted for use in the storage of fiuids under pressure, a container providing a chamber therein and having an opening in the top wall thereof, said container being equipped with an annular wall about said opening, a closure member adapted to sealingly engage the upper edge portion of said annular wall, a support member secured to said closure member and extending upwardly therefrom and defining an angular groove on one side thereof, a bar pivotally carried by said support member and having integral eccentric end portions, a handle secured to said bar, a pair of standards fixedly secured to said container extending upwardly from said container adjacent said annular wall and each being providedwith an eye therethrough, said eyes being adapted to receive said eccentric end portions therein, said bar being axially shiftable in said support member for movement of said handle into said groove to afford releasing movement of said eccentric end portions in said eyes and means for pivoting said bar to move said eccentric end portions between lock and release positions within said eyes.

6. In a closure member structure adapted to sealingly close an opening provided in a tank structure equipped with spaced-apart standards having eyes therethrough, a cover member having a central portion adapted to extend over said opening and being adapted to seat upon said tank structure about said opening, a support member secured to said cover member and having a bore extending transversely therethrough, said support member having also a slot in a wall thereof communicating with said bore and extending angularly outwardly therefrom, a bar slidably and pivotally mounted within said bore and being equipped with eccentric end portions adapted to be received within said eyes, one of said eccentric end portions being spaced at predetermined distance from the adjacent standard suflicient to permit removal of the other eccentric end portion from the other standard upon axial movement of said bar in a direction away from said first standard and a handle secured to said bar and having end portions secured thereto and bridging said sup port member, one of said end portions being adapted to align with said slot at one position of said handle to afford axial movement of said bar within said bore, said handle being olfset to said slot when substantially perpendicular to said cover member.

7. In a closure member structure adapted to sealingly close an opening provided in a tank structure equipped with spaced-apart standards having eyes therethrough, a covermember having a central portion adapted to extend over said opening and being adapted to seat upon said tank structure about said opening, a support member secured to said cover member and having a bore extending transversely therethrough, said support member having also a slot in a wall thereof communicating with said bore and extending angularly outwardly therefrom, a bar slidably and pivotally mounted within said bore and being equipped with eccentric end portions extending axially in the direction of said bar adapted to be received within said eyes, one of said eccentric end portions being spaced a predetermined distance from the adjacent standard sufficient to permit removal of the other eccentric end portion from the other standard upon axial movement of said bar in a direction away from said first standard and a handle secured to said bar and having end portions secured thereto and bridging said support member, one of said end portions being adapted to align with said slot at one position of said handle to afford axial movement of said bar within said bore, said handle being offset to said slot when substantially perpendicular to said cover memwith spaeed=apart standards having eyes therethrough, a cover member having a central portion adapted toextend over said opening and being adapted to seat upon said tank structure about said opening, a support member secured to said cover member and having a bore extending transversely therethrough, said support memher having also a slot in a wall thereof communicating with said bore and extending angularly outwardly therefrom, a cylindrical bar slidably and pivotally mounted within said bore and being eqiupped with cylindrical eccentric end portions extending axially of said bar tangentially therewith, said end portions being adapted to be received Within said eyes, one of said end portions having an axial dimension suflici'ent to permit removal of the other eccentric end portion from the other standard upon axial movement of said bar in a direction away from said first standard and a handle having end portions secured to said bar and bridging said support member, one of said end portions being adapted to align with said slot atone position of said handle to afford axial movement of said bar within said bore, said handlebeing offset to said siot when substantially perpendicular to said cover member.

9. In a closure member structure adapted to sealingly close an opening provided in a tank structure equipped with spaced-apart standards having eyes therethrough, a cover member having a central portion adapted to extend over said opening and being adapted to'seat upon said tank structure about said opening, a support member secured to said cover member and having a bore extending transversely therethrough, said support memher having also a slot in a wall thereof communicating with said bore and extending angularly outwardly therefrom, means for adjusting the height of said cover member relative to said support member for compensating for peripheral wear therein and ettecting maximum sealing action, a bar slidably and pivotally mounted within said bore and being equipped with eccentric end portions adapted to be received within said eyes, and a handle secured to said bar and having end portions secured thereto and adapted to align with saidslot at one position thereof during axial movement of said bar Within said bore, said handle being offset to said slot when substantially perpendicular to said cover member.

10. In a tank structure adapted for use in the storage of fluids under pressure, a container providing a chamber therein and having an opening in the top wall thereof, said container being equipped with an annular wall about said opening, a closure member adapted to sealingly engage the upper edge portion of said annular wall, a support member secured to said closure member and extending upwardly therefrom, a bar pivotally carried by said support member and having integral eccentric end portions, said bar being shiftable axially relative to said support member, a pair of standards fixedly secured to said container extending upwardly from said container adjacent said annular wall and each being provided with an eye therethrough, said eyes being adapted to receive said eccentric end portions therein, and means for pivoting said bar including a bail rigidly secured to the bar to move said eccentric end portions between lock and release positions within said eyes, said bail and said support member being contoured to hold said ends in lock position when said bail is substantially vertical relative to said closure member.

11. In a closure member structure adapted to sealingly close an opening provided in a tank structure equipped with spaced-apart standards having eyes therethrough, a cover member having a central portion adapted to extend over said opening and being adapted to seat upon said tank structure about said opening, a support member secured to said cover member and having a bore extending transversely therethrough, said support member having also a slot in a wall thereof communicating with said bore and extending angularly outwardly therefronna bar slidably and pivotally mounted within said bore and being equipped with eccentric end portions adapted to be received within said eyes, and a handle secured to said bar and having end portions secured thereto and bridging said support member, one of said end portions being adapted to align with said slot at one position of said handle to afford axial movement of said bar within said bore, said handle being otfset to said slot when substantially perpendicular to said cover member.

12. In a closure member structure adapted to sealingly close an opening provided in a tank structure equipped with spaced-apart standards having eyes therethrough, a cover member having a centralportion adapted to extend over said opening and being adapted to seat upon said tank structure about said opening, a support member secured to said cover member and having a bore extending transversely therethrough, said support member having also a slot in a Wall thereof communicating with said bore and extending angularly outwardly therefrom, a bar slidably and pivotally mounted within said bore and being equipped with eccentric end portions adapted to be received within said eyes, and a handle secured to said bar and having end portions secured thereto and bridging said support member, one of said end portions being adapted to align with said slot at one position of said handle to afford axial movement of said bar within said bore, said handle being olfset to said slot when substantially perpendicular to said cover member, said cover member being provided with a threaded stud extending upwardly therefrom and said support member having a threaded passage therein threadedly receiving said stud whereby the position of said bar and said end portions relative to said cover member and said eyes is adjustable.

13. In a closure member structure adapted to sealingly close an opening provided in a tank structure equipped with spaced-apart standards having eyes therethrough, a cover member having a central portion adapted to extend over said opening and being adapted to seat upon said tank structure about said opening, a support member secured to said cover member and having a bore extending transversely therethrough, said support member having also a slot in a wall thereof communicating with said bore and extending angularly outwardly therefrom, a bar slidably and pivotally mounted within said bore and being equipped with eccentric end portions adapted to be received within said eyes, a handle secured to said bar and having end portions secured thereto and bridging said support member, one of said end portions being adapted to align with said slot at one position of said handle to afford axial movement of said bar Within said bore, said handle being offset to said slot when substantially perpendicular to said cover member, said cover member being provided with a threaded stud extending upwardly therefrom and said support member having a threaded passage therein threadedly receiving said stud whereby the position of said bar and said end portions relative to said cover member and said eyes is adjustable, and locking means carried by said support member and co operating with said cover member for obstructing inadvertent movement of said support member relative to said stud.

14. In a closure member structure adapted to sealingly close an opening provided in a tank structure equipped with spaced-apart standards having eyes therethrough, a cover member having a central portion adapted to extend over said opening andbeing adapted to seat upon said tank structure about said opening, a support member secured to said cover member and having a bore extending transversely therethrough, said support member having also a slot in a wall thereof communicating with said bore and extending angularly outwardly therefrom, a bar slidably and pivotally mounted within said bore and being equipped with eccentric end portions adapted to be received within said eyes, a handle secured to said bar and having end portions secured thereto and bridging said support member, one of said end portions being adapted to align with said slot at one position of said handle to afiord axial movement of said bar within said bore, said handle being offset to said slot when substantially perpendicular to said cover member, said cover member being provided with a threaded stud extending upwardly therefrom and said support member having a threaded passage therein threadedly receiving said stud whereby the position of said bar and said end portions relative to said cover member and said eyes is adjustable, and locking means carried by said support member and cooperating with said cover member for obstructing inadvertent movement of. said support member relative to said stud, said locking means comprise a bolt threadedly recessed in said support members and a nut on said stud adapted to be locked by said bolt in an axial position thereof and released in another axial position thereof.

15. In a structure of the character described, a container providing a chamber therein and having an opening in a wall thereof, said container being equipped with a pair of spaced-apart standards, one on each side of said opening and each being provided wth an eye theretbrough, a closure member adapted to sealingly close said 10 opening, said closure member being equipped with a bar having elongated eccentric end portions slidably receivable Within said eyes, said eccentric end portions being contoured to afford axial movement of said bar in said eyes, said bar having a handle secured thereto for rotating the bar between positions wherein said eccentric end portions are selectively moved into and out of locking engagement within said eyes, and means connected to said closure member and said bar for limiting said axial movement throughout a portion of its said rotational movement when out of locking engagement within said eyes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 20,203 Gilmore May 11, 1858 1,108,765 Lawless Aug. 25, 1914 2,599,527 Badger June 10, 1952 2,665,161 Stehling Jan. 5, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,766 Austria Jan. 10, 1905 433,691 Great Britain May 18, 1934 

